Barbed fence



DE WALT. 4

(No Model.)

BARBED FENCE.

No, 312,440. Patented Feb. 17,1885.

WITNESSES INVENTOR v ATTORNEY-S.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE DE WALT, OF KENTON, OHIO.

BARBED FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 312,440, dated February 17, 1885.

Application filed June 10, 1884. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE DE WALT, of Kenton, in the county of Hardin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Barbed Fences, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to barbed fences wherein the barbs are strung on wires; and it consists of the detailed construction and disposition of parts, substantially as hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in I which the figure represents a side view of a piece of double-twisted fencewire with barbs thereon embodying my invention.

A A indicate the barbs, and B B the doub e-twisted wire or wires on which said barbs strung. The barbs A A are of sheet metal, and may be made from scrap-tin, disused tin cans, or other waste pieces of metal, suitably cut and bent, so as to assume an open diamond or other like shape, presenting sharp edges and angles, and having two holes, Z) 12, midway of the length of the barb punched in the sides thereof at a suitable distance apart to leave a sufficient metal support between them on opposite sides of their longitudinal bend a. This may easily be done by doubling the metal in or on the line 0 and punching both holes at the same time. The bent construction of the barb on the line 0 adds very materially to the strength of the barb, which may accordingly be made out of very light met-a1. Said barbs A A are fastened or strung on the wires or lengths of wire B B by threading them through their holes I) b on said wires, and, after arranging them at suitable distances apart, twisting said wires to form a coarse strand, the said barbs being so disposed as to permit either their ends or corners to form the pricking portions or barbs thereof. This will throw the faces of the barbs on the sides of the wires, so that they can be seen plainly. \Vhile perfectly secure, the barbs will not be rigid on the wires, but free to slightly move or turn, thus doing away with a very general objection to barbed fences.

No great mechanical skill is necessary to construct this improved fence, as by the aid of hammer, shears, and punch the barbs may be made by mere children, and this from waste metal, so that the whole fence may be got up very cheap, and it will prove in every way efficient.

The barbs, being bent as described, will effectually resist all force or strain brought to bearupon them, and will not penetrate like knife-blades, which they would do if flat, and, being widest in the middle, stock will not get fast on them.

I am aware of the existence of a fence-wire barb formed from a flat diamond-shaped piece of metal strung upon the wire, and of such a barb with upper and lower and lateral pointed arms or pricking=snrfaces, the same being strung at its center upon the fence-wire with its said arms or surfaces projecting beyond said wire.

Having thus described myinvention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- A barb for wire fences made of sheet metal, bent as desrribed, with holes for stringing it on the wire or wires in opposite sides of its bend, and its cndsand corners forming the pricking-points, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

GEORGE DE \VALT.

Vitnesses:

GRANVILLE S. WILLIAMs, GEORGE SEMORY. 

